Silly Boy
by stacylk
Summary: Peeta Mellark thought he knew what love was until he met cynical Katniss Everdeen in an alley. Modern AU. Inspired by the film The First Time.


_Rated Adult for eventual Sexual Situation and Language_

 _Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, ect. are property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

 ** _SILLY BOY_**

He kicks at a loose pebble as he paces the alley mindlessly. His lips move to the words silently as Peeta rehearses his speech for the tenth time. His hands gesture with each syllable and the bottoms of his feet have begun to throb from him stomping each time he becomes tongue tied. Talking has always been easy for him but there's something about the way her loose blonde curls fall from her shoulders that turn Peeta into a complete blithering idiot. He had been prepared to tell her how he felt because after all the years of friendship they had shared he assumed that telling her his true feeling would be easy. There was a trust there between them that she never had with any of the guys she had dated and she always ended up coming to Peeta for support and advice. He had become comfortable with the way things had become until the moment he wasn't and Peeta wanted to become more than the friend that Madge ran to after a broken heart.

Occasionally he'll look up toward the privacy fence where the party continues on the other side and he can hear the hard bass of the music and the shouts and screams of his classmates. He'll make it a few steps before he talks himself into preparing himself once more. Peeta couldn't be sure of how long he had been walking back and forth and as the music became louder his speech would lengthen, but the same line always remained the same.

"Madge. Madgey. You and I are meant to be together."

He was far too busy reciting it to notice the brunette exit the gate and enter the alley. Peeta spun on his heel and jumped back when his gaze landed on the petite girl. "Shit!"

It took him a few seconds to recover as his heart pounded. She stood there silently watching him with an amused grin and her arms folded over her chest.

"What are you doing?"

Peeta stood there for a second before looking behind him down the empty alley until turning back toward the brunette. "Me?"

She rolls her eyes. "Yeah. I'm looking at you aren't I?" He opens his mouth to answer but something about her blunt reply hinders him from talking. She grins crookedly before backing up to the fence and sitting down against it.

Peeta watches her closely as she takes him in as well. The strands of her wavy hair catch in the lip balm at her lips as a warm breeze passes by them. She reaches up to push the hair away and tuck it behind her ear but his eyes are transfixed on her mouth. When her tongue darts out to wet the bottom lip Peeta can feel his stomach tighten. He isn't sure how long he spends staring at her mouth but when she clears her throat loudly his eyes shift quickly up to hers. The light glow from the street lamp shines off the grey of her eyes causing them to appear silver. She narrows her eyes at him but Peeta detects a slight amusement there.

He tears his eyes away from hers and breathes in deeply. Peeta walks the few steps forward to close the gap between them and stops when only a foot separates them. She looks up at him from her position on the ground.

Peeta reaches to the back of his neck and nervously scratches at the skin there. "I was just rehearsing something."

She nods slowly as she bites her bottom lip and he can feel his mouth suddenly become dry. "And that involves talking to yourself while being alone in an alleyway?"

Peeta laughs sharply. "I guess so."

"What were you rehearsing?"

He breathes in slowly while lowering his arm to his side. "There's this girl."

She holds his gaze as she reaches to the frayed material at her knees. "There always is."

He watches as she slowly pulls the strings from her jeans. "I'm Peeta."

She glances down at her legs before looking back up at him. "Katniss."

Peeta leans in closer as he bends down slightly. "Katherine?"

She rolls her eyes for the second time and he can hear the slight edge to her voice. "No. Katniss." She clears her throat as her eyes travel up his body and he suddenly feels uncomfortable underneath her gaze. "So, Peeta. Who is this girl that has you acting like a total freak?"

Peeta snorts which earns a genuine smile from Katniss. He decides he likes to make her smile. "Madge." Katniss waits for him to continue but he's lost in the shade of her eyes and the curve of her shoulders. However it isn't long until his mind is on the blond. "We've been platonic for years." Katniss remains quiet as she watches him. "Platonic means-"

She pulls another string from her jeans before throwing it to the side. "Oh I know what platonic means. I'm a junior not a moron."

Peeta nods. "Sorry."

Katniss pushes herself off of the ground. When she stands Peeta is acutely aware of how close she actually is to him. "How about you practice your speech with me?"

He steps back. "I don't know."

Katniss shrugs. "Look we don't know each other and I doubt we'll see each other after tonight. Which means you're free to make a complete ass out of yourself without any repercussions."

Peeta bites the inside of his cheek before relenting. "Alright." He clears his throat loudly. "Hmm. Madge." His gaze lands at the sharp curve of her cheekbones and his chest tightens. "We've been friends for as long as I can remember and it's always been you and me. Most of my memories involve you but there's always been this barrier between us, this unanswered question that mocks me every day. The question about whether you know that I have feelings for you and I think you could say yes if all of the other stuff wasn't getting in the way. I'm tired of all the trash. All the stuff that just clutters the space between us. I wish I could just get rid of it and live in the silence with you. Peeta." He closes his eyes before holding her stare. "So what do you think?"

Katniss grins widely. "I think that was the most contrived piece of crap."

He opens his mouth to speak but he's so taken back it takes him a moment before he's able to reply. "Excuse me?!"

She sighs. "It's not genuine. It's you pretending to be real but it's just regurgitated shit that all of the tween novels and movies try to force down our throats." Katniss takes a step forward. "Besides she doesn't want to hear that you two are destined. Maybe she just wants to get felt up. Some things are just easier than you make them out to be."

Peeta continues to stand there stunned. "I-" He's cut off by the crowd of people running through the gate and the groups of half naked party goers. When someone shouts about the cops coming and he hears the high pitch squeal of the sirens Peeta is brought out of his stupor. He reaches out to take Katniss by the wrist. He tries to ignore the softness of her skin and the warmth that lies there. She doesn't attempt to pull away. "Come on!"

They run down the alley way together and don't stop until they're blocks away. When they slow their pace, Katniss pulls away. He doesn't try to take it personal as they walk down the street in silence. Peeta occasionally glances over at her and when the wind blows her dark hair against her bare shoulders he can't stop looking at her skin. His mind is so foggy from the excitement earlier and the curve of her body that he nearly misses it when she speaks.

"I'm surprised you're willing to walk with me."

Peeta swallows hard as he attempts to tear his eyes from her. "You can't walk by yourself."

It's silent once again as they walk down the residential streets and Peeta is acutely aware of her proximity. He wants to reach out to her and take her wrist again or brush against her. Anything to feel her close.

"What's so great about this girl who you've been platonic with?" Peeta nearly trips as her voice brings him out of his train of thought.

"Madge?" Katniss nods and he tries to ignore the way her tank top forms over her chest. "She's gorgeous, graceful and smart. She's the girl that everyone wants to be but she's not stuck up. Madge is actually pretty quiet and she does this crinkle thing with her nose when she's frustrated-"

Katniss holds her hands up. "Ok got it!" She gives off a nervous laugh. "You're smitten."

Peeta shrugs. "You asked."

"Maybe I shouldn't have." She ducks her head as they round a corner.

He lowers his head to catch her eye before bumping his hip into her side. "You're easily irritated."

Katniss laughs before pushing him away. "And you're easily impressed obviously."

"Wow."

"Peeta you're this idealist, hopeless romantic who believes that there's true love, people are trustworthy, there is such a thing as peace and unicorns shoot rainbows out of their asses."

He nods slowly. "Let me guess. Katniss? Cynic?"

She gives him one the crooked grins that he's beginning to look forward to. "I hide it so well."

Peeta bites back his own smile. "So you believe that people are inherently evil, selfish and that life is an endless moment of chances and that the tooth fairy is actually a scary bitch that goes around pulling teeth from children."

Katniss raises a brow. "Did you just make a joke?"

He shrugs before bumping into her gently again. "Maybe." She laughs before she stops walking abruptly. Peeta nearly misses it and he's easily four feet away before he realizes she's standing still. He turns and jogs back toward her until he's a couple of feet from her.

Katniss reaches down to play with the hem of her tank top before closing the gap between them. "Here's the thing Peeta. What you're trying to get with Madge isn't as complicated as you want to make it."

He swallows roughly. "Really?"

Katniss nods slowly as their gazes connect. "Yes." She steps into him until their lips are a whisper from each others "You face her, move closer and then it's just happening." He can feel her breath tickle his lips. "It's simple." He's not aware of what overcomes him but when he presses his lips against hers his entire body begins to warm. Peeta begins to panic but when she opens her mouth to his and when her tongue massages his, Peeta can't think clearly. As she pulls away, he tries to prevent the whimper that travels up his throat and escapes his lips. "I have a boyfriend."

Peeta can say nothing but stare at her blankly as one thought runs through his mind.

 _Not complicated my ass!_

* * *

 _A/N: I'm hoping to continue on this story that originally was written for prompts in panem on tumblr._


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